Method of securing dies, tools, etc., to mounting plates



B. E. IRMIS 1,995,711

, TO MOUNTING PLATES March 26, 1935 METHOD OF SECURING DIES, TOOLS, ETC.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 16, 1954 March 26, 1935. B. E. IRMIS 1,995,711

METHOD OF SECURING DIES, TOOLS, ETC., TO MOUNTING PLATES Original FiledJune 16, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 26, 1935. |RM|s 1,995,711

METHOD OF SECURING DIES, TOOLS, ETC. TO MOUNTING PLATES OriginalFiled June 16, 1 934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 26, 1935 PATENT (OFFICE JHETHOD F SECURING DIES, TOOLS, ETC T0 MOUNTING PLATES Benjamin Edward Chicago, Ill.

Original applicatio 730,986. Divided 11 June 16, 1934, Serial No. and this application October 8, 1934, Serial No. 747,330

7 Claim.

This application is a division of my original application, Serial Number 730,986, filed June16, 1934.

Heretofore in mounting dies or tools in a press considerable time, as well as the services of a skilled mechanic have been required in order to set the co-operating die members, or tools in exact registering positions.

Each of the dies has heretofore been formed in or from a block of metal of considerable hardness, which has been respectively recessed or set into the shoe carried by the ram, and into the bed or bolster plate of the press,- to prevent lateral displacement, and as the block has of necessity been 01' a considerable thickness, considerable cutting and grinding has been necessary, with the result that considerable labor and expense are involved in the production and mounting of the dies and tools.

In my co-pending application there is disclosed an improved mounting plate for the dies, etc., which is of considerably less thickness than the usual die block, and which plates are provided with the necessary apertures for the anchor bolts, as well as registering openings for the temporary reception of alinement pins inserted thereinto to maintain such alinement while the plates are being secured in position, after which the openings occupied by the alining pins in the respective plates may be employed for dowel pins for maintaining the plates against displacement with re spect to the shoes, with the result that there will be ease of securing perfect alinement at very low cost.

The invention disclosed in my co-pending application also contemplates the provision of thin mounting plates for the dies, and which plates are respectively secured to the ram and bolster, the ram and bolster being constructed of suitable material not necessarily of hardened steel, while the mounting plates are constructed of suitable steel material, thereby rendering it possible to secure, the plates directly to the ram and bolster in a manner that the machining of the supports for the plates will be reduced to a minimum. As

the dies are secured directly to the mounting plates, considerably less tool steel will be employed in producing the plates, and the cost of producing the dies will be materially reduced, as much less machining of the parts will be required, owing to the fact that considerably less tool steel is employed than in the ordinary method of producing and mounting dies, etc. As the plates and dies will also be considerably lighter than heretofore, the handling thereof will be greatly facilita ed.

Both the present invention and that disclosed in my co-pending application are adapted for use in what might be termed short run, that is for 5 use in producing a small number of parts, so that the expensive production or dies for this purpose will be obviated, and comparatively inexpensive dies may be provided for such short runs.

The die mounting plates are interchangeable, 10 whereby it is possible, after one set of dies has been employed and the run completed, the dies may beremoved from the plates and new dies secured or mounted upon the plate, the plates and dies then being inserted and positioned in the machine, with the assurance that there will be perfect alinement and at the same time the cost of assembling and mounting the dies willbe materially reduced.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved method of mounting the dies or tools upon the mounting plates, and of securing alinement or register of the dies, as well as seeming or anchoring the die plates in position.

To the attainment 01 these ends and the accompllshment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts of the apparatus and of substantially the steps in the method, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and in which Figure l is a view earth in elevation, partly in section, partly broken away, and with parts omitted, of a portion of a press having the dies mounted therein in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken me 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1,01 another form of press.

Figure 4 is a view of the ram and bolster of a press showing one of the steps in the operation of alining the die plates by the use of temporary guide pins.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a female die member.

Figure member.

Figures 7 to 11 inclusive illustrates the manner of mounting the die members upon the plates and of alining the plates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 55

on line 22 Fig- 4a 6 is a perspective vlew of a male die and especially to Figures 3 and 4, the numeral 15 designates generally a reciprocating ram having a die shoe 16 secured thereto in any suitable manner (not shown), a portion of the shoe being recessed into the ram as at 1'7, and the shoe may be constructed of any suitable material, not necessarily of hardened tool steel.

The numeral 18 designates generally a die mounting plate which is constructed of suitable steel which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, and this plate 18 is secured to the face of the shoe 16 by means of suitable fastening bolts 19, the face of the shoe 16 being ground in the usual manner, the shoe being provided with openings 16 extending through the exposed face of the shoe.

The numeral 20 designates a bolster mounted upon the bed 21 of a press, and a shoe 22 rests upon the bolster 20. This shoe 22 may be of any desired thickness and is constructed of any suitable material, but not necessarily of steel. The upper face of the shoe 22 is ground so as to present a smooth surface, in any suitable manner, and openings 22 are provided in the shoe which open through the upper face thereof. The openings 16 in the shoe 16 and 22 in the shoe 22, are in registering alinement, and serve a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

The numeral 23 designates a die plate, similar to the plate 18, and is constructed of any suitable material, such as steel, and is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width. This plate 23 rests upon the shoe 22 and is anchored 0r secured thereto by means of suitable anchor bolts 24.

In the preparation of the plates 18 and 23, openings 25 are provided in the plate 18, while openings 26 are provided in the plate 23, and these openings 25-26 are adapted to be brought into registering alinement by means of temporary guide pins 2'7, the ends of the guide pins enter the respective openings 16 and 22 in the shoes 16 and 22 when the plates 18 and 23 are placed in the press, so as to insure registering alinement of the plates and dies with respect to each other and to the supporting shoes.

Secured to the lower face of the die plate 18 is a die member 28, here shown as a female die which is anchored or secured to the plate 18 in any suitable manner, such as by means of fastening rivets 29, although the same may be brazed or otherwise secured in position.

A knockout plate 30 may operate within the die 28, and if employed springs 31 are recessed in the plate 18, and one end abuts the shoe 16 and the other ends operate upon heads 32 of bolts 33 which are secured to the knockout plate 30, and tends normally to move the plate 30 in a direction to eject material from within the die 28.

Secured also to the lower plate 23 in any suitable manner, such as by means of anchoring rivets or fastening members 34, is a male die 35 which is adapted to enter the female die 28 during the operation of the press and to fit accurately therein.

Encompassing the die 35 is a blank or work holder 36 which co-operates with the die 28 to grip the work and hold the same while it is being operated upon by the dies 28 and 35.

Springs 37 recessed into the plate 23 contact with the face of the shoe 22 and also operate on the heads 38 of bolts 39 that are secured to the work holder 36 and tend normally to hold the upper surface of the work holder 36 flush with the upper surface of the die 35.

During the operation of the press and when the ram is lowered, the die 28 will contact with the work 40 and co-operate with the work holder 36 to grip the work, and during a further lowering of the ram, the work holder 36 will be depressed against the stress of the springs 3'7 so that the work may be severed by the dies 35 and 28 and at the same time and as the ram is lowered, the ejector plate 30 will be forced into the die 28 against the stress of the springs 31, as is usual in structures of this character.

In Figure 4 there is shown one of the steps in one method of assembling the dies and die plates and of bringing them into position and into accurate registering alinement. The alinement of the plates 18 and 23 may be accomplished in the following manner.

The dies 28 and 35 are first respectively secured to the plates 18 and 23, and the plate 18 with the die 28 secured thereto is anchored to the ram 15 by the fastening bolts 19, with the openings 25 in registering alinement with the openings 16 in the shoe 16.

The plate 23 is anchored to the shoe 22 by means of the fastening bolts 24, with the openings 26 in registering alinement with the openings 22 in the shoe 22, and the shoe is then placed loosely and unanchored upon the bolster 20, after which and while the ram is elevated, the temporary guide pins 2'7 are inserted by one end either into the openings 25 in the plate 18 or into the openings 26 in the plate 23, the ends of the pins extending into the respective openings 16 and. 22.

It is to be understood within the openings in the plates and shoes, and if one end of the pins should be inserted into the openings 25 in the plate 18, and the opening 16'' in the shoe 16, they will be frictionally held in position and will not drop out.

With the temporary pins 27 in position in one of the die plates 18 or 23, the ram 15 is lowered, carefully, until the other ends of the pins enter the openings in the other die plate, such as the openings 26 in the plate 23 and also into the openings 22 in the shoe 22. As the shoe 22 with the plate 23 is placed loosely upon the bolster 20, it will be manifest that in the event the die 35 on the plate 23 is not in exact registering position with respect to the female die 28 on the plate 18, the entering of the pins 2'7 into the openings 26 in the plate 23 and 22 in the shoe 22, will cause the shoe 22 and plate 23 to be automatically adjusted or moved upon the bolster 20 until the dies and plates are brought into exact registering position.

The movement of the ram is then arrested, and the pins 27 will then hold the die plate 23 and shoe 22 with its surmounted die 35 in exact registering position with respect to the plate 18 and the die 28.

The shoe 22 is then anchored to the bolster 20 in any suitable manner, such as by means of clamps or fastening bolts 22 well known in this art.

The ram 15 is then raised and the temporary guide pins 27 are removed, and these guide pins 27 may then be replaced by dowel pins (not shown) to assist in holding the die plates 18-23 against accidental displacement. It is of course understood that the dowel pins thus inserted will also respectively enter the openings 16 and 22 in the shoes 16-22. The press may then be operated with the assurance that the dies will be held in exact registering position.

In Figure 4 of the drawings the parts are illusthat the pins fit snugly 1,995,71 1 trated in the position they will assume after the die plates 18 and 23 have been automatically alined by the temporary guide pins 27, and it' will be notedthat the die 35 has entered the central portion of the female die 28. After the shoe 22 has been anchored to the bolster 20, the ram 15 is raised and the guide pins 27 are removed.

In Figures 7 to 11, there is shown the method 01 securing registering relation between the die plates 18 and 23 and of securing the die members to the respective plates so that they will be in exact registering relation with respect to the plates, so that thereafter and when the plates with the dies mounted thereon are placed within the press, and the liner pins temporarily entering registering openings in the die shoes 16-22 as well as the openings 16 and 22 in the die plate shoes, the movement or adjustment of the die plates into registering relation, will simultaneously effect a registering relation between the die members.

The first step in the operation of this improved method is the provision of the two die plates 18 and 23 which, as before stated, are each comparatively thin with relation to their width and length and these plates are constructed of suitable steel. These plates are complementary with their proximate faces contacting and while being maintained in this registering position, the openings 25 are formed in the plate 18, while the openings 26 are formed in the plate 23. The openings 25 and 26 are adapte'd to register respectively with openings 16 and 22 in the respective die plate shoes.

To the upper face of the plate 18 is secured'by means of the anchoring rivets or bolts 29, the female die 28, into which is inserted the male die 35, the latter being provided with openings 35 therethrough for the reception of the anchoring bolts or rivets 34. During this operation the plate 18 is inverted as shown in Figure 9, so that the dies 28 and 35 will be uppermost. The open= ings l8 are then formed in the plate 18 by drilling through the plate 18 with a tool or drill in serted into the openings 35 in the die 35, thereby insuring that the openings 18 and 35 will be in accurate alinement.

The plate 18 with the die 28 secured thereto, and with the die 35 within the die 28, is then invertedso that the dies 28 and 35 will rest upon the plate 23, as shown in Figure 10.

The temporary guide pins 27 are then inserted into the openings 25 in the plate 18 and the openings 26 into the plate 23 so as to bring these plates into exact registering relation. After this operation the openings 23 are formed in the die plate 23 by drilling or otherwise and by operating the drill through the registering openings 18 and 35 as shown in Figure 10.

The die plates 18 and 23 may then be separated and the pins 27 removed either before or after the separation. This will result in the die 35 loosely resting upon the die plate 23, while the die 28 being secured to the plate 18 will constitute the die and die plate to be secured to the ram 15. The die 35 is then anchored or secured to the die plate 23 by means of the anchoring or fastening rivets or bolts 34, (Fig. 11).

Thus, it will be manifest that there will be provided two comparatively thin die plates to each of which is secured the respective die members, and after the die plate 18 has been secured or anchored to the shoe 16 which is carried by the ram 15, the die plate 23 which is secured or anchored to the shoe 22'by the fastening bolt 24,

' until the will be placed in position by loosely mounting the shoe 22 upon the bolster 20.

The temporary guide pins 27 are then inserted by one end either into the openings 25 in the plate 18 or into the openings 26 in the plate 23, and so as to extend into the openings 16 or 22 in the shoes 16 or 22. The ram 15 is then slowly lowered so as to cause the free ends of the guide pins 27 to enter the openings in the other die plate and the opening in the other shoe, and by such entering of the pins into these openings, the shoe 22 together with the die plate 23 will be automatically adjusted or moved upon the bolster 20 dies 28 and 35 are brought into accurate registering alinement. The ram is lowered sufficiently to cause the die 35 to enter the die 28, and the motion of the ram is then arrested, after which the die plate 23 is anchored or secured to the bolster 20 in any suitable manner (not shown) and as usual in presses of this character.

The parts having been thus secured in position and in accurate registering alinement, the ram is then raised so as to permit the removal of the temporary guide pins 27 and the insertion of dowel pins, if the latter are to be used.

With this invention it will be manifest that the cost of producing dies and of mounting the same will be materially reduced because there is provided on y a comparatively thin die mounting plate to which the die is secured and which plate constitutes only a portion of the shoe of the ram, as well as a portion of the shoe which is mounted upon the bolster of the press.

The faces of the shoe on the ram and on the bolster are machined so that the faces of the die plates will smoothly abut the same and the die plates may be readily detached from the respective shoes and other die plates with other dies thereon substituted therefor.

This invention is particularly advantageous for use in short runs and obviates the necessity of the preparation of large, heavy and expensive dies which must be produced at a considerable expense, for short runs. By reason of these thin plates and the manner of mounting and preparing the dies, as herein described, considerable expense will be saved because considerably less tool steel or very hard material will be operated upon in shaping or forming the dies, as well as mounting the same.

It will also be manifest readily interchanged and by providing the die mounting plates, the amount of work necessary in installing and securing registration of the dies will be materially reduced, with a consequent reduction in expense of operation and installation.

In my United States Patent Number 1,315,531, issued June 27, 1933, there is shown and described a knockout mechanism adapting presses for operation upon work which it is not possible to operate upon with the ordinary installed knockout mechanism, by reason of the fact that the improved supplemental knockout mechanism described in such patent, increases the area of operation of the original knockout mechanism, to a considerably greater extent than possible with the orignal knockout mechanism.

In Figures 1 and 2 of this application there is shown a press in which the present die mounting plates are used in connection with such knockout mechanism.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the die mounting plate 18 which is secured to the shoe 16 of the ram 15 is spaced from the shoe by means of spacer members 41, and the plate 18 and spacer that the dies may be members 41 may be anchored by means of suitable anchoring bolts 42 passing therethrough to provide a space 43. Within this space 43 is a knockout plate 44 against one face of which one end of a spring 45 contacts. The other end of the spring is seated within a recess 46 in the shoe 16 and abuts the bottom 47 of the recess. The normal tendency of the spring 45 is to move the knockout plate 44 against the proximate face of the plate 18. 7

When the knockout mechanism 44 is employed, the openings 18 receive pins 48 having heads 49 which are recessed into the face of the plate 18 and extend through the openings 18. These pins 48 are of a length somewhat greater than the thickness of the plate 18, and secured to the free ends of the pins is a knockout plate 50 which operates within the female die 28.

Similarly, between the die mounting plate 23 and the shoe 22 which rests upon the bolster 20 are spacing members 51 to form a space 52, and these parts are secured together by anchoring or securing bolts 51'. Within the space 52 a knockout plate 53 operates and this plate is supported by pins 54 which pass through openings in the bolster and rest upon the pad 55 of the knockout mechanism with which the pres is originally provided. A bolt 56 is secured to the bolster 20 and passes through an opening 57 in the bolster 20 and carries an adjustable nut 58 on one end thereof. A spring 59 encompasses the bolt 56, one end of which rests against the pad 55 and the other against the nut 58, so that the tension of the spring 59 may be varied.

The knockout plate 53 serves as a support for pins 60 which pass loosely through openings 61 in the die plate 23 and the pins 60 support the work holder 36 which co-operates with the die 28 to clamp the work 40.

In this form of the invention it will be manifest that the pins 48 which operate the knockout plate 50, will operate through the openings 18 in the plate 18.

The registering and alining of the die plates 18 and 23, as well as the dies 28 and 35 with the knockout mechanism as shown in Figure 1, is obtained in the same manner as in the other form of the invention, that is by the use of the temporary guide pins 2'7.

Obviously, the necessary openings for the anchoring bolts 19, 42, 24 and 51' may be formed at any suitable stage in the operation of the assembling of the parts, as it will be clearly apparent that the registering alinement of the plates 23 and 18 is accomplished through the medium of the temporary guide pins 27 and so long as these guide pins remain in position withv respect to the plates 18 and 23, it is not possible to move these plates or the dies out of registering alinement before they are permanently fastened in position.

Furthermore, with this invention it will also be manifest that it is not necessary to employ the services of an expert for positioning and alining the dies and die plates, as such alinement will be quickly accomplished, and accurately, through the medium of the temporary guide pins, and furthermore, a much cheaper die as well as die mounting will be provided, as it will not be necessary to recess the die blocks into the shoes or supporting members.

While the preferred method of carrying this invention into operation has been herein shown and described, and the preferred apparatus or manner of securing the dies in a press has also been shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the steps of the method and the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts of the mounting plates may be varied, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

1. The method of mounting dies and the like in presses, which consists in providing a pair of co-operating mounting plates each being comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, providing the plates with registering openings for the reception of alining pins, securing one of the die members to the face of onev of the plates, placing the other die member upon the other plate and unsecured thereto, then bringing the plates and die members together to aline them by temporarily inserting alining pins in said registering openings, then securing the loose die member to its supporting plate, then removing the said alining pins, and then securing the plates with the respective die members carried thereby, to co-operating parts of the press.

2. The method of mounting dies and the like in a press which consists in providing a pair of co-operating mounting plates each of which is comparatively thin with relation to its width and length, providing said plates with registering openings for the reception of alining pins, then securing a die member to one of the plates, then placing a co-operating die member against the face of the other plate and bringing the plates and die members together to cause one of the die members to position the other die member upon the supporting surface of the latter by temporarily inserting alinement pins in the registering openings in the plates to aline the latter, then securing the loose die to its supporting surface, and then securing the plates in a press.

3. The method of securing dies to mounting plates for use in presses and for alining the dies and plates, which consists in providing co-operating mounting plates each of which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, securing a die member to the face of one of the plates, employing said die and the last said plate as a means for positioning the co-operating die member with respect to its companion die member, by the temporary use of plate alining means, then securing the said co-operating die member to its plate, and then rendering inactive the said plate alining means.

4. The method of securing dies to mounting plates for use in presses and for alining the dies and plates, which consists in providing co-operating mounting plates each of which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, securing a die member to the face of one of the plates, employing said die and the last said plate as a means for positioning the co-operating die member with respect to its companion die member, by the temporary use of plate alining means, then securing the said co-operating die member to its plate, then rendering inactive the said plate alining means, and providing in said plates openings for the reception of anchoring bolts to secure the said plates in position in a press.

5. The method of securing dies to mounting plates for use in presses and for alining the dies and plates, which consists in providing co-operating mounting plates each of which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, securing a die member to the face of one of the plates, employing said die and the last said plate as a means for positioning the co-operating die member with respect to its companion die member, by the temporary insertion of alining pins in registering openings in the mounting plates, then securing the said co-operating die member to its plate, and then removing the said alining pins.

6. The method of securing dies to mounting plates for use in a press and for alining the plates and dies, which consists in providing cooperating die plates each of which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and width, providing the plates with registering openings, securing to the face of one of said plates a die member, positioning the co-operating die member against said plate and with respect to the anchored die member, drilling openings through the last said plate through openings in the loose die member, then inverting said plate and'both of said die members to position the loose die member upon the other of said plates and alining the plate by the temporary insertion of alining pins in the registering openings in the said plates,

then drilling openings through the last said plate through the openings in the loose die member to provide openings for anchoring elements for securing the loose die member to its supporting plate, and then removing the said alining pins.

7. The method of securing dies to mounting plates for use in presses, which consists in providing mounting plates each of which is comparatively thin with relation to its length and reception of anchoring elements for the loose die 20 member, and then removing the said alining pins.

BENJAMIN EDWARD IRMIS. 

